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Monday, December 8, 2014

Carrot Coffee Cake & A Cookbook Giveaway

By: Brandi O'Neil

I was recently introduced to a new super-delicious way to enjoy desserts, Dessert MashUps! It’s a new full-color, hardcover cookbook that has 52 inspiring 2 in 1 treats. You may have heard of a brookie, a brownie and cookie combo, but that is just the beginning. This book will take you from breakfast to dinner with its clever and mouthwatering recipes such as Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast, Strawberry Pie Cupcakes, Turtle Pudding Pie and so many more.

Dorothy Kern is the writer, photographer and baker behind these recipes and she really does a great job. Her blog, Crazy for Crust, was the precursor to this book and luckily she even shares her All-Butter Pie Crust which is great for me because I have never been able to master a light flaky pie crust. The recipes are organized by chapter so the reader can easily guide themselves from breakfast, to candy concoctions, pies, cheesecakes and holiday mash-ups. Even more helpful are the sections dedicated to measurement/pan size equivalents and ingredient substitutions.

You won’t have just one favorite recipe with this book; they will all be favorites. When I brought the Carrot Coffee Cake to work, I could do no wrong. Easier than I ever thought making a carrot or a coffee cake could ever be, the prep time was only 20-25 minutes. The cake was flavorful and light, the streusel was warm and comforting and the cream cheese frosting was a sweet and tasty way to complete this mash-up. I enjoyed this book and think you will too.

Make the Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch round pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
3. Stir together the sugar, oil, and egg in a large bowl until the egg is thoroughly mixed in and all ingredients are combined. Stir in the milk. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Stir in the shredded carrots.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Make the Streusel
1. Stir together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter. Add the walnuts, if using.
2. Sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter in the pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge of the pan comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Make the Icing
1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, then beat in the vanilla.
2. Frost the top of the coffee cake, or serve the frosting on the side so guests can add their own.
3. Store the cake loosely covered with plastic wrap. It will keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature.

I LOVE the Mash up idea!! I was just talking with my hubby and discussing with him how I always mix stuff up on my plate to make new and exciting flavors. I love doing this. Hubby......not so much. What a great cook book to come up with. I am very excited to take a look inside it. Thanks for the giveaway!